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An international psychology and education programme is under way this week in Nowy Sącz, southern Poland, bringing together workshops, seminars and a three-day scientific conference devoted to behavioural addictions. Summer Camp 2026 is being organised by Wyższa Szkoła Biznesu–National Louis University (WSB-NLU) in cooperation with the American Psychological Association.
The programme runs from 17 to 23 August 2026 on the WSB-NLU campus. Its timing makes it one of the latest announced science and education developments currently taking place in Poland, with participants able to attend practical workshops, academic sessions and professional networking meetings during the same week.
A meeting point for research and professional practice
According to the organisers, the event is designed for psychologists, therapists, researchers, students, doctoral candidates and practitioners interested in psychology, mental health, education and new technologies. Rather than separating academic research from professional experience, the programme combines both approaches in a single format.
The organisers describe four days of workshops and seminars followed by three days of the International Scientific Conference “Behavioral Addictions”. Participants can work in smaller groups, attend lectures and present their own projects or research findings. The programme also includes networking sessions intended to support professional cooperation.
That structure gives the event a practical character. Workshops can focus on developing skills and discussing methods, while the conference format allows participants to examine research questions and compare experiences across different professional settings. For students and early-career researchers, the combination offers an opportunity to observe how academic ideas are discussed and applied outside the classroom.
Focus on behavioural addictions
The central conference, scheduled for 21–23 August, will examine behavioural addictions and related challenges in mental health. The subject covers patterns of compulsive behaviour that do not necessarily involve a chemical substance, and it has become an increasingly visible area of psychological research and clinical discussion.
WSB-NLU presents the conference as an interdisciplinary event. Its stated purpose is to explore behavioural addictions alongside contemporary mental-health challenges, while creating space for the presentation of research and the exchange of professional experience. The format is intended to connect psychology, therapy, education and applied research.
Keeping the subject within a scientific and educational setting also helps avoid simplistic explanations. Questions surrounding digital habits, gambling, gaming, compulsive consumption and other forms of repetitive behaviour require careful distinctions between ordinary activity, harmful patterns and clinically relevant problems. A conference that brings researchers and practitioners together can help make those distinctions more precise.
International cooperation in a regional university city
The event is taking place at WSB-NLU in Nowy Sącz, a university city in Małopolska. The cooperation with the American Psychological Association gives the programme an international dimension, while the campus setting keeps the event closely connected to Poland’s higher-education system.
For the host institution, the summer camp also functions as an outreach platform. The university says the programme is intended not only for established professionals but also for students and doctoral candidates. That broad audience reflects the way psychology is taught and practised today: through a mixture of formal education, research training, clinical work and continuing professional development.
The organisers have published participation rules describing Summer Camp as an international scientific and educational programme comprising workshops, seminars, the behavioural-addictions conference and networking meetings. The official programme page also states that participants may present their projects and research results.
A constructive contribution to public understanding
Although behavioural addictions can be a sensitive subject, the Nowy Sącz programme is framed around education, evidence and professional exchange rather than alarm. Its emphasis is on learning, research presentation and the development of practical competencies.
That makes the event relevant beyond the psychology profession. Schools, families, healthcare providers and technology users all encounter questions about habits, attention, self-control and mental wellbeing. Better communication between researchers and practitioners can improve the quality of those conversations and encourage more informed responses.
As Summer Camp continues through 23 August, its main contribution is likely to be the creation of a shared space for learning: one where Polish and international participants can discuss current psychological research, examine behavioural-addiction questions and develop approaches that connect academic knowledge with everyday practice.
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